This blog is a result of the heavy censoring of the media by the military dictatorship regime.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

ACTU: fact finding mission to go ahead despite murmurs of a ban

Australia and New Zealand unions say they intend to go ahead with their plans to send a delegation to Suva, although it's heard the regime may have applied a ban.Fiji media are today reporting the delegation will not be permitted to enter on a three-day mission to investigate allegations of human and labour rights abuses.

The illegal attorney general Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum is quoted by Fiji Village as saying the regime has noted that even before they had arrived, the Australian Council of Trade Union had taken a position and planned to move a resolution at the Australian Labour Party Conference to place Fiji on the same blacklist as Burma and Zimbabwe.He said the regime had been willing to allow the delegation into the country on the belief there would be 'free and frank discussions on all issues without any formed ideas or positions taken'.Khaiyum says the regime has written to ACTU president, Ged Kearney, seeking clarification about just how independence and genuine the visit will be.But in a statement released this afternoon titled What is the Fijian Govt trying to hide? Kearney said ACTU and the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions were seeking clarification but intended to go ahead with the fact-finding mission, the result of requests from Fijian unions and civil society groups.“Australian and New Zealand unions have been open about the intentions of this visit, but this reported ban on travel into Fiji can only add to perceptions that the regime is attempting to prevent scrutiny from the rest of the world.“We are responding to an open invitation from the Fijian Government to visit their country, and are concerned at these unconfirmed media reports that we will be denied the opportunity to have meaningful discussions about human rights concerns.“The purpose of this delegation is to talk to Fijian workers, unions, church and civil society groups, employers and business representatives about serious allegations of repeated breaches of human and labour rights by the Bainimarama Government.“There has been global reporting and condemnation of the unelected Fijian Government’s increasingly hostile attitude to human rights, particularly labour rights.“We have also sought meetings with Prime Minister Bainimarama which we hope would be the beginning of a fresh dialogue about human and labour rights in Fiji."Kearney said the two umbrella unions had held a teleconference this morning and it was agreed the visit would go ahead.“We have been invited by Fijians to investigate the true situation in Fiji, and we don’t want to let them down. "We have held concerns for working people on Fiji since the enactment of a series of decrees which have abolished the minimum wage, and effectively banned collective bargaining and union representation. Senior union leaders in Fiji have been arrested and detained in recent months, in what appears to be a campaign to intimidate anyone who challenges the regime.“This is on top of other breaches of human rights, particularly freedom of expression, including a bans of church meetings, harassment and violence towards opposition politicians, religious persecution, and a clampdown on media.”ACTU and NZTU not welcome in Fiji: AGhttp://www.fijivillage.com/?mod=story&amp

Australian goverment outsourced problem Fiji to incompetent Ms people from Lowy's - this has proven an unmitigated disaster for all concerned - obviously DFAT believes its time for something completely different - so why not let a couple of politically ambitious but equally incompetent Ms ladies from the trade union movement have a go?

It is now the Pacific's turn to hunt down human rights abusing dictators and their rabid supporters. If the useless UN, and in particular Matilda Bludger of the UNOHCHR, can't do the job they are paid for, then push them out of the way and do it ourselves.

The fact that ACTU has to come to Fiji to find out the truth for itself shows that no one in Australia believes the Tebutt Research. And the Lowy Institute is rapidly losing credibility.You can fool some people some of the time but not all the people all the time.Isn't that right Graham Davies?

How quick that this pretender AG attacked the ACTU & NZTU visit to try and nip the problem in the bud just to avoid confrontation where the illegal regime could face embarrassment.

I doubt that Frank was consulted in this case before this firefighting measures by this sly and illegal AG who is scared to face these trade union reps in a fair debate.

Khaiyum is really just a pathetic little runt who without question can make arrogant comments where the people cannot respond to him but where an opportunity arises where he can be questioned would want to run like hell and hide behind Frank's skirt who has the gun!

“We have been invited by 'Fijians' to investigate." hahaha what a joke!! you mean say invited by the Union head cronies such as Dan Urai, Felix "the cat" Anthony and Rajeshwar Singh!?!? The truth is the people of Fiji don't want these three self-serving union thugs who are only trying to keep their own seats warm at all cost with no regard for its members, industries or the country! Over the years they have made the union constitution so stringent that these cronies cannot be voted out by the ordinary fee paying union members. If these union thugs are so concerned about Human rights and democracy, then first clean up your own house and let all the ordinary fee paying union members vote and have their say on who they want as their union leaders to be!! And not by a group of elite union head-honcho's with self-interest!! You should lead by example if you want others to follow democracy and human rights!!

We really don't have anything to hide, these two gals will be permitted to talk to the Church leaders, business people,NGO,and any anyone they choose to talk to.Government will give then the OKto talk to Government Dept-heads etc,etc. I will get my boys from Delai nabua, to get hold of the Taliban Khaiyum; and take him up tothe camp, for a little exercise, formaking these two gay female leaders,unwelcome to our democratic society???

Vinaka ACTU and NZTU. We the workers in Fiji are suffering in silence and too afraid to speak out. Anyone who dares to openly defy the terrorists running this nation today, risk getting bashed up by the Fiji military and police thugs! That is a fact of everyday life here, that is the reason many people blog anonymously on these blogs! Please come and save us from the madness that is Bainimarama and his gang of thieves!Koroi.